UFC 99 Red Ink: Silva vs. Franklin

Haven’t we all wondered what would happen if a caveman got into a
fight with a high school math teacher? And isn’t time we found
out?

Wanderlei
Silva will be looking to stall a career slide Saturday when he
faces former middleweight champion Rich
Franklin in a 195-pound catch-weight bout. His brawl-and-maul
style is in interesting contrast to Franklin’s slightly more
conservative, academic approach. Silva is probably a fair amount
better on the ground, but could have trouble keeping it there.
Franklin’s chin is unquestionably in better shape. Silva is 32.
Franklin is nearly 35. It’s impossible to believe.

What It Means: For Silva, a chance to
enter the middleweight division with renewed momentum; for
Franklin, a decent check. Beating Silva doesn’t hold the cache it
used to.